Florida Spring Training Trip - Day 30

Today was the last full game we will be able to watch this trip as we are leaving for home tomorrow.  It was clear but cold (at least for Tampa at the end of March).  It was 52 degrees at game time with at least a 10 mph wind.

The highlight of the pre-game ceremonies was the arrival of the United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM) parachute team.  SOCOM is based at McDill AFB in Tampa and is responsible for the unified command and operation of joint service special operations activities around the world.  The team consisted of three parachutists each carrying  a flag - the U.S. flag, the Phillies Flag, and the POW flag.  Each of the team members landed on the field to the cheers of the fans.  It was a nice demonstration and great visibility for military special operations professionalism.

A Salvation Army band played the National Anthem and several minor league players were presented with awards for their performance last year.  The game was a match-up of the Phillies' and the Detroit Tigers' best pitchers, Cliff Lee and Justin Verlander.  Both pitchers pitched well, but Detroit played a little better and won 1-0.

Dinner tonight was leftovers from previous meals.  We've cleaned out the refrigerator pretty well and there is not much left over that we cannot take with us.

We've started packing and will be done in the morning.  The plan for tomorrow is to finish packing, check out of the condo and go to the ballpark to watch a little of the last spring training game in Clearwater starting at 1:05 pm.  Our flight leaves Tampa at 5:25 pm local so we need to drive to the airport, turn in the rental car, and check-in for the flight.  We already have our boarding passes, so we just have  to check our baggage and clear security.  

It will be a long flight. From Tampa we will fly to Nashville, TN, change planes, and fly to San Francisco with a stop in Phoenix, AZ.  We are scheduled to arrive in San Francisco at 11:55 pm, local time.  It will also be a quick turn-around as Judy has medical appointments in San Francisco Friday morning.  It everything goes O.K., we should be back in Nevada City Friday afternoon.  This will be the last trip update until we get home when I'll try and do a final post, describing the trip home.

Day 30 Pictures.  

Florida Spring Training Trip - Day 29

We did a final load of laundry this morning, shipped some things home and drove over to Tampa to meet Eileen, her friends Linda and Karen, and Eileen's daughter Ali, her husband Dan and their two children, Kessler and Delancy.  Also there was Eileen's other daughter Ang and her friend "Z", a hockey buddy from Ocean City.

They drove over from Orlando where they are staying  to get together with us for a pre-game dinner and the Yankees - Phillies game at George Steinbrenner Field, the Yankees' spring training park in Tampa.  They are staying in Tampa until Wednesday to visit the Aquarium there before heading back to Orlando,where they will stay until Saturday.

We met everyone at the hotel where they were staying near the ball park then had dinner at Leroy Selmon's Restaurant nearby.  The restaurant has a southern BBQ and comfort food emphasis along with a sports bar motif highlighting the career of Leroy Selmon, a famous Tampa Bay Bucaneer football player.

We got to the park just before the game started.  The park is nice but not as nice as Bright House Field, where the Phillies play.  The weather was "brisk" - clear, but temperature in the 50's at game time with a fair amount of wind.  We were mostly sheltered from the wind but it was still cool.

The game was a good one for the Phillies - they beat the Yankees 6-0.  Eileen and Linda are Yankees fans but their kids are big Phillies fans.  After a long ride back to the condo we finally got to bed after midnight.  It was a busy day but it was great to see Eileen and her family and to watch the Phillies win for a change.


 Day 29 Pictures 

Florida Spring Trip - Day 28

We had one more chance today to do some sightseeing before we head for home on Thursday.  We decided to visit the Dunedin Historical Museum this morning then head over to Ybor City on the northern edge of downtown Tampa and have lunch at the original Columbia (Spanish) Restaurant.  The plan after lunch was to then take the trolley into downtown Tampa and tour the American Victory, a WW II Liberty Ship docked in the pier area next to the Tampa Aquarium that we had  visited earlier in the trip.

Alas, the historical museum was closed on Monday so we drove directly over to Ybor City for lunch.  Ybor is a historical district that was once the center of the Cuban cigar industry in America.  The city is now kind of an entertainment, restaurant, shopping area that is a nightlife destination and tourist attraction. There is also a very nice museum and replicas of area worker housing that we visited on our previous trip in 2012.

We had another great lunch at the Columbia Restaurant.  This is the original restaurant, opened in 1905 and still very popular.  The Spanish food  menu is the same as we had earlier in the trip at one their other restaurants at Sand Key, south of Clearwater Beach .

Although it began to rain pretty good after lunch as forecast, we decided to still take the trolley and tour the liberty ship.  The trolley is an electric trolley on rails with stops along the way between downtown Tampa and back to Ybor City.

The liberty ship tour was O.K. and might have been better if it wasn't raining.  It is one of the last operating liberty ships and takes periodic 4 hour cruises around the bay to raise funds for keeping it operational.  There was also a large Royal Caribbean cruise liner docked nearby. Tampa is an active cruise ship departure port and regularly schedules cruises to Caribbean and Mexican destinations. 

After the tour, we took to trolley back to Ybor City and navigated rush hour traffic in the rain back to the condo.  Judy cooked hamburgers for dinner tonight.  We're meeting Eileen and her family tomorrow in Tampa and having dinner with them prior to the Phillies - Yankees game there.  We are also going to start getting organized for the trip back to CA and maybe tour the Dunedin Historical Museum if we have time. There is a game on Wednesday and we leave on Thursday.  It has been fun but we are ready to come home.

Day 28 Pictures

Florida Spring Training Trip - Day 27

Another great day for baseball.  Perfect weather and the Phillies won.  They played most of their regular players against a Minnesota Twins team with players I didn't recognize. Nevertheless, the Phillies played a pretty good game and won 5-1.

After the game we stopped at a small microbrewery nearby that we have driven past almost every day.  There is usually a crowd there so we decided to check it out.  It is called the Seventh Sun Brewery and serves about a dozen different kinds of beer they brew on-site.  Some of them look a little unusual and we didn't sample them all.  We had a beer called Graffiti Orange.  It sounds bad but it was really pretty good.

After resting awhile back at the condo we went to dinner at Kelly's Chick-a-Boom Restaurant and Bar in downtown Dunedin.  We ate outside in a covered area and had a great meal.  We were even entertained by a guy with a guitar playing acoustic songs that sounded vaguely familiar.  Dessert was at the ice cream shop across the street.  Great homemade ice cream and a very busy place tonight.

No game here tomorrow so we are planning to do some things in Tampa.  

Tuesday afternoon we are meeting Eileen and  her kids for dinner and the Phillies - Yankees night game in Tampa.  Our last full home game is on Wednesday at Brighthouse Field in Clearwater. On Thursday, our flight leaves Tampa at 5:30 pm local.  The Phillies last home game is on Thursday so we may be able to watch some of that before leaving for the airport.

Day 27 Pictures

Florida Spring Training Trip - Day 26

The weather remained warm and sunny today so we decided to go to the beach as planned. First, we did the laundry this morning.  Lunch was at a newly opened Frenchy's retaurant, Frenchy's Outpost, on the causeway over to Honeymoon Island.  The menu is the standard Frenchy's menu and despite being open only three days, it was very busy.

We decided to take a look at the north beach on the island.  It wasn't very busy but only had a narrow rocky beach and was not suitable for the type of beach lounging we wanted to do.  So, we went down to the main beach where the beach was much wider and had lots of sand, and more people.  We could also rent beach chairs and an umbrella from the beach concession.

After a few hours at the beach we had enough sun for the day and returned to the condo.  We ate in tonight - shrimp and seafood salad with garlic bread and french fries.

Baseball again tomorrow. The Phillies lost again today, playing Pittsburgh at their field.

Day 26 Pictures

Florida Spring Training Trip - Day 25

A great day for baseball today - the temperature hit 84, it was sunny with no wind.  The Phillies played the Red Sox and both teams had their best pitchers pitching - Cliff Lee for the Phillies and John Lester for the Red Sox.  As expected, it was a pitchers duel for the first 5 innings then the Red Sox scored 2 runs.  The Phillies tied the game in the 8th inning, but that was all the scoring for the day and the game ended in a tie, 2-2 after 10 innings.  At least they didn't lose - progress, I guess.

A highlight of the day was a pre-game appearance of the Budweiser Clydesdales from Busch Gardens in Tampa.  And as usual the Phillie Phanatic continued to entertain the crowd as only it can do.  There was also a record crowd at the park today - 11,200 fans, the largest since the park opened 11 years ago.  There are only 8,500 seats in the stadium but plenty of room for berm seating and standing room.

Dinner was take-out pizza tonight.  It was very good NY style pizza from another Italian restaurant in town.  No baseball tomorrow so we are going to try and squeeze in another beach day.  We only have two more no-baseball days before we leave next Thursday (tomorrow and Monday) and the weather looks better for tomorrow.  Laundry is also on the agenda so it should be a busy vacation day.

Day 25 Pictures

Florida Spring Training Trip - Day 24

The game today was with the Toronto Blue Jays.  They won the last four games with the Phillies this spring and they won again today 3-1.  This was a "split squad" game, with half of the team playing the Blue Jays and the other half playing the Houston Astros at their field in Kissammee (near Orlando).

We are getting down to the end of spring training and there isn't any great feeling of optimism that the regular season is going to be any better than what we have seen to date.  Although it is just practice, I don't believe they will be able to just flip a switch and start playing better baseball when the regular season starts in April.  I hope I am wrong but we'll just have to see how it all plays out.   Ex-Phillies back-up catcher, Eric Kratz, who was let go because he couldn't  hit, hit two home runs for the Blue Jays.

The Phillies wore their green uniforms today in honor of St. Patrick's Day, since the game on Monday was rained out.  A lot of the fans and ushers were also wearing green.  The weather was good: low 70s, sunny with a slight wind.

We had dinner in the condo again and went to bed early.  The game tomorrow is with the Red Sox and they are expecting another sell-out.  The seating capacity of the stadium is 8,500 but with berm seating and standing room they can fit in a lot more.  One usher said they might hit 11,000 plus tomorrow.

Day 24 Pictures

Florida Spring Training Trip - Day 23

We traveled to Honeymoon State Park this morning and went on a guided hike along the Osprey Trail.  We had taken this hike in 2012 and wanted to do it again.

The trail loops around the northern end of the park and is about a mile out-and-back loop. The park is oriented north and south so the east side of the trail is on St. Joseph Sound and the west side borders the Gulf of Mexico.  The east is slightly higher in elevation and is covered with palm trees, pine trees and other types of vegetation. The west side is mostly mangrove vegetation and other underbrush.  There is also a lot of poison ivy throughout the park, which is home to a wide variety of wildlife including gopher tortoises, raccoons and eastern diamondback rattlesnakes.   The park is also home to a large variety of birds including ospreys, bald eagles, great horned owls and many other migratory birds.  The proximity to mild winters, plenty of fish, and protected nesting sites makes the park an especially attractive home for raptors such as ospreys, eagles, and other types of hawks  We saw plenty of large osprey nests in the top of barren pine snags. Currently there are 20 osprey nesting sites along the appropriately named Osprey Trail where we hiked today.

We also saw a great horned owl who is currently residing in the park.  This bird is the "apex raptor", meaning there are no other birds higher up in the food chain, including eagles or ospreys.  The result is that the owl sleeps where it wants to and eats whatever if feels like eating.

There is also a federally protected American Bald Eagle nesting site at the northern part of the trail.  The area is fenced off but the nest is visible.  There are presently two baby chicks in the nest.  They were born in December and are just about ready to fly.  Mom (or dad?) was also nearby, still bringing food to the growing chicks.

The weather was great, not too hot, cold or windy, but after the hike we were a little tired and ready for lunch.  So, we headed over to the park cafe and had lunch overlooking the beach area on the gulf.  The original plan was to lay around on the beach after lunch but by then it was after 3:00 pm so we decided to skip that part for today.  I did a short beach walk after lunch while Judy rested at the cafe dining area.

On the way back to the condo, we picked up a few groceries and had dinner in tonight. Baseball again tomorrow and Friday.

Here are a few pictures from today's adventure:
 
Day 23 Pictures

Florida Spring Training Trip - Day 22

The weather improved considerably overnight and by early morning the skies were clearing.  It was still a little breezy and cool but by mid-morning the skies were clear, the wind died down and it began to warm up.

It was almost noon when we finally got moving.  We decided to check-out a couple of beaches nearby.  The first one, Fred Howard County Park is near Tarpon Springs so we decided to eat Greek food for lunch again at one of the many Greek restaurants in town before visiting the park.  Once again, we had a great lunch, this time at a different restaurant.

The Fred Howard County Park is a county park with picnic areas, hiking trails, fishing, boating and a beach on a small offshore island connected by a mile-long causeway.  The beach is very nice and is mostly on the gulf side of the island. It wasn't too crowded today as it was still a little cool by area standards (the high today was about 65 degrees).

We next visited Sunset Beach Park, a small park and beach nearby run by the City of Tarpon Springs. There isn't much of a beach and it looks like its major use is as an outdoor event venue.  There is a pavilion with the water as a background  and a handicapped-accessible viewing platform to watch the beach and water from benches.  There are several covered picnic tables throughout the park and a dirt road circling the park in serious need of grading. It is a nice little beach park but not up to the quality of state and county parks.  Everything we have seen here indicates the state and county have done an excellent job of providing park and recreation facilities for their residents and visitors.

With energy left, we decided to drive over to Clearwater Beach , visit the beach and the pier then have dinner at a beachfront restaurant.  The Clearwater pier is right in the heart of the Clearwater beach scene.  There are usually a lot of people there and the immediate area at the end of the pier where it meets the beach promenade has numerous vendors, street buskers, and shops selling beach accessories and souvenirs.   There are also street vendors on the pier selling various kinds of trinkets and things.  At the far end of the pier is a fishing area where you have to pay to enter.  The pier area is somewhat tacky but the beach is nice and wide and stretches for miles in both directions.  It appears the beach is used a lot by locals and the pier area is primarily a tourist thing.  Local fisherman may also be the primary users of the fishing area, although the sign by the entrance did indicate fishing tackle could be rented and bait purchased.

We had dinner at the Palm Pavilion Restaurant.  It is a short drive up the road from the pier area and is at the other end of the beach parking lot from Frenchy's Rockway Grill where we ate last week.  We had a nice dinner and arrived back at the condo just in time to watch another gorgeous sunset.

No baseball again tomorrow.  The plan is to take a guided nature hike in Honeymoon State Park tomorrow morning then spend some time at the beach in the park.  The weather is expected to be warmer so it should be nice beach day.

Day 22 Pictures

Florida Spring Training Trip - Day 21

The baseball game was rained-out today.  As forecast, a heavy line of thunderstorms came through the area beginning this morning and continued throughout the day with thunderstorms, lightning and lots of rain .  It was probably the worst time of spring training to have a game cancelled due to weather.  The game was completely sold out and a big St. Patrick's Day celebration was planned at the park.  The Phillies players were even going to wear green uniforms.  There were also a lot of outdoor activities planned throughout the area that were either cancelled or moved indoors if possible.  

We stayed in most of the day, doing some paperwork and relaxing. We did go out about 4:30 pm and ran a few errands.  We stopped at Costco to get Judy's glasses adjusted and once again, the place was almost deserted. On the way back we checked out the street celebration in downtown Dunedin.  We were in Dunedin in 2012 and it was a very lively affair.  This year, the rain dampened the crowd, although a hard core of celebrants were there drinking green beer in the rain.  We decided not to eat outside hunkered under a canopy and instead, had a nice dinner in Alfrescos, a restaurant down the street where we ate last week.  We then had an ice cream cone for desert before returning to the condo.

No baseball again until Thursday.  The rain should be ending tomorrow morning so we'll decide what we are going to do after breakfast.

Day 21 Pictures

Florida Spring Training Trip - Day 20

Baseball today.  The temperature hit 80 degrees and it was a good day to watch a baseball game despite a brisk breeze.  The bad news was the Phillies lost again, this time being shutout by the Pittsburgh Pirates.  It hasn't been a very good spring training for them and unless they start hitting pretty soon, its going to be a long and disappointing regular season.

We did laundry after the game and had dinner in the condo.  Tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day and a lot of different activities in the area are planned.  There is also a ball game with Baltimore tomorrow afternoon.  Unfortunately, a storm is also due to pass through the area tomorrow with a 90% chance of rain, wind, and thunderstorms.  An usher at the park today said no games have been postponed for weather there in at least the last ten years.  So, we'll see what tomorrow brings and play it by ear.

Not too much else to report except a few pictures from today's game:

Day 20 Pictures

Florida Spring Training Trip - Day 19

We had a great day at the beach today.  The weather was perfect - not too hot, but sunny, with a gentle breeze.  There is a state park, Honeymoon Island, just up the road.  It has a very popular beach, lots of nature trails and a wide variety of wildlife throughout the park.  There is  also a ferry out to Caladesi Island , a small barrier island just across the sound from the park.  We had been out there twice before on previous trips and wanted to go there again.  The island has a great beach with lots of sand and plenty of sea shells.  We relaxed on beach chairs under an umbrella and took a walk on the beach.  After about 4 hours we had enough sun for the day and caught the ferry back to our car.

We picked up a few groceries on the way home and had take-out spaghetti from a nearby Italian restaurant for dinner.  The Phillies are playing the Red Sox at their park tonight so we watched some of the game on MLB.TV on the computer, before going to bed.  More baseball tomorrow.  The Phillies play Pittsburgh at home and the weather looks like it will be a nice day to watch the game.

Here are a few pictures of Honeymon State park and Caladesi Island:

Day 1W9 Pictures 

Florida Spring Training Trip - Day 18

We decided to drive up to Tarpon Springs today and look around.  The town is about 9 miles north of Dunedin along the coast and is the major location on the Florida coast for sponge harvesting,  The town has a long history of sponge diving, mostly by Greek fisherman  and divers.  That influence has continued and the town is still a center of Greek American culture and heritage.  Although sponge harvesting is still being accomplished as an economic activity, the locals have taken the theme and turned it into a potentially more lucrative business model - tourism.

The "sponge docks" area along the waterfront is a cluster of shopping, restaurant, and boat cruise establishments.  There are a variety of souvenir shops, shell stores, clothing boutiques, Greek restaurants and bakeries and even a small aquarium.  You can buy sea shells, sponges in all types, sizes, and varieties, "Cuban" cigars, T-shirts and hats, and Greek pastries and coffee from street-front businesses.  Picture a mixture of Pier 39 and Fisherman's Wharf kind of activity with a local flavor.  The area was also very busy - lots of older people, most likely snow birds and tourists as well as families, and younger couples.  There were also a lot of Greek-looking merchants although I don't recall seeing any of them wearing a Greek fisherman's cap.

Despite the feel of a tourist-trap type of environment, the Greek food we had for lunch at one of the many restaurants in the area was excellent. It certainly was authentic and was as good as any we have had elsewhere.  After lunch we walked around town and had desert and coffee  at an outstanding Greek bakery. They were out of Turkish coffee, but the Greek coffee was very good.  We also took a 40 minute boat tour where they talked about sponges and the history of sponge diving in the area.  There was also a sponge harvesting demonstration by a diver, complete with a diving suit and an external air supply.  He even brought back a real sponge after about 5 minutes in the water.  Funny how he just happened to find one that quickly.
Nevertheless, we had a good time touring the area and enjoyed the authentic Greek Food. There is also a downtown historical district that appears to have a number of tourist-oriented businesses and activities. It was getting late so we decided to skip that.  Maybe another time.

After arriving back at the resort we shared a Pina Colada at the Tiki Bar before returning to the condo.  We ate dinner in tonight and relaxed before going to bed.  We are going to go to the beach tomorrow.  The weather forecast  looks good and maybe even a little warmer than today, although it was just about perfect - clear skies low 70's and little wind.

Here are some pictures of Tarpon Springs:

Day 18 Pictures

Florida Spring Training Trip - Day 17

Back to baseball today.  It was sunny, cool, and breezy, so we dressed accordingly.  Our seats on the second level are in an area open both to the parking lot and the field - sort of a wind tunnel effect if the wind is blowing in either of those directions.  The high temperature at the park today was 61 degrees and the wind was probably at least 10-15 mph.  It was fairly warm in the sun but it was pretty cold in our seats.  Nevertheless, we stayed to the end and watched the Phillies win their second game in a row.  They played the Yankees today and won 6-2.   The Phillies break camp in two weeks so it is time for the players to get serious about making the team and getting ready for the season.  With a new manager and coaching staff, veteran players who many say are overpaid and underachieving, new players trying to do well, and a not-so-great spring training record so far, it is going to be an interesting season.

Dinner was in the condo tonight and an early-to-bed is imminent.  The next game is on Sunday so we have two more days to do other things.  It may still be a little cool for the beach so we probably be doing more sightseeing.  We'll decide what to do tomorrow in the morning.

Here a few pictures from the game today:

Day 17 Pictures

Florida Spring Training Trip - Day 16

It was raining when we woke up this morning - not a heavy rain but a series of showers as the system passed over the area. After eating breakfast and relaxing for awhile, we decided to go over to Tampa and visit The Florida Aquarium.  With city traffic, it was about a 45 minute drive and we arrived about 1:30 pm.

The aquarium is located on the waterfront along the Channelside shopping and dining area next to the Tampa cruise ship terminals and port area.  Adjacent to and associated with the aquarium is a working WW  II steamship, the S.S. American Victory - one of only four operational  WW II merchant steamships in the U.S.  You can tour the ship and it serves as a national training site for military, police, and firefighters and hosts public ceremonies, special events and semi-annual fundraiser cruises. We did not tour the ship today due to time constraints, but might go back to do that if we have time later on in the trip.

The aquarium is very well done and has a lot of interesting exhibits, not just of fish and other marine life, but also about the different aspects of Florida ecology and other types of wildlife.  The aquarium is very "kid-friendly" with lots of things for kids of all ages to touch, feel, and learn about.  There is also an outside kid's play area with water cannons, a pirate ship, and plenty of things to climb on, over, and through. Toddlers also have a separate place to play.  A nice touch is a Caribbean Cantina overlooking and close to the play area where the parents can have a drink while watching their kids get wet and have fun.

The aquarium tour is self-directed through 8 different areas: Wetlands Trail, Journey to Madagascar, Bays and Beaches, No Bone Zone, Coral  Reefs, Dragons Down Under,Ocean Commotion, and Explore A Shore (The kids play area). Each section highlights different aspects of it's theme with lots of hands-on things to do related to that section.  There are also many different shows that go on during the day. One we saw was divers going into the shark tank to feed them.  There is also a nice cafe restaurant with reasonable prices where you can feed a family and kids without spending a lot of money. As you might expect, there was also a large gift shop that was very busy.  Additional adventure guided tour options are also available including a Wild Dolphin Cruise on the aquarium boat, the Penguins Backstage Pass, Behind The Scenes Tour, and Feeding the Sting Rays. For those who want to get in the water, you can also Swim With The Fishes and Dive With The Sharks.

All-in-all, it is a very nice aquarium and we are glad we took the time to visit it.  The trip back took longer as we got caught in rush hour traffic.  Dinner was take-out pizza from Tony's in Dunedin - very good.  The weather cleared up nicely by the end of the day as the front moved through.  More baseball tomorrow as the Yankees are in town.  It should be clear, but cooler and a little breezy. 

Day 16 Pictures 

Florida Spring Training Trip - Day 15

We got a little bit of a late start today but drove to Fort De Soto Park at the mouth of Tampa Bay south of St. Petersburg on the Gulf of Mexico . It is a county park consisting of a chain of five interconnected islands, or keys, providing over 1100 acres of parkland and beaches. Activities in the park include a campground with 256 sites with water and electric hook-ups, hiking and bicycle trails, boating, bird watching, day use picnic areas, fishing and swimming.  It is a very popular park with over 3 million visitors a year.  There is also a ferry concession that provides trips to and from two of the five islands in the park (Egmont Key and Shell Key Preserve).  Egmont Key is the site of an adjoining fort in the Fort De Soto complex, and the Shell Key Preserve is a natural and uninhabited barrier island.

The area was first surveyed in 1849 and recommended for fortification by the Army Corps of Engineers.  Union troops occupied the islands during the Civil War to aid in the blockade of Tampa Bay.  After the war, the islands were abandoned until 1882 when military reservations were established.  No construction was started until 1889 when the state built a quarantine station on Mullet Key, the site of Fort De Soto.  The fort became the main activity on the island and served as an active military installation from 1898 -1910, it's mission being to protect the entrance to Tampa Bay during the Spanish American War.  After the war, the military presence gradually declined and the forts (De Soto on Mullet Key and Fort Dade on Egmont Key) were abandoned in 1923.  They sat in disrepair until 1938 when the state purchased the five islands for $12,500. During WW II, the Army bought Mullett Key back and used it as an adjunct airfield for the main airbase at nearby McDill Field.  The state bought the island back in 1948 and gradually built it into the major recreation area it is today.

It was about an hour's drive through the city to the park.  We had been there on our last trip in 2012 but wanted to see the fort and the surrounding area again,  They were renovating the fort in 2012 and as things often occur in government work, it is still a work in  progress.  The weather was excellent and many people were enjoying the beaches and fishing from the pier.  We didn't see a lot of fish being caught but it looked like the fisherman really didn't seem to care.  I guess that is the joy of fishing.

We then headed back north,going home along the coastal road.  We stopped at the Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary in Indian Rocks Beach.  A small area sandwiched between beachfront hotels, it is essentially a bird rescue facility where injured birds are nursed back to health.  It is also a "safe haven" sort of place where all kinds of sea birds seem to congregate.  We also visited the sanctuary in 2012 and wanted to see how it was doing.

We continued up the coast and had dinner at the Columbia Restaurant in Sand Key, just south of Clearwater Beach.  We had an excellent Cuban/Spanish dinner - sangria, gazpacho soup, tapas and good Cuban bread.  We also ate there in 2012.  All-in-all it was a deja vu sort of day.

No home game tomorrow.  They are calling for a 60% chance of showers so maybe we will  do some inside stuff - perhaps the Tampa Bay Aquarium, but we'll decide after breakfast.

Here a few pictures from today's adventure:

Day 15 Pictures

Florida Spring Training Trip - Day 14

Baseball again today against the hated Atlanta Braves.  Both teams started their regular players and the expectation was that we would see something like a regular season baseball game.  We hope that what we saw today was not a preview of what the new season will look like.  Cliff Lee looked good despite giving up a first inning home run.  That was about the only bright spot for the Phillies today.  Ryan Howard still  looks lost at the plate (although he didn't strike out today - just two weak ground outs and a fly ball)  Jimmie Rollins went hitless and had two pop-up outs (old habits die hard), Papelbon gave up 5 runs, Dominic Brown struck out 3 times and now has tied Howard with 9 strikeouts for the spring training season, and so it went, with the Phillies losing the the game 8-1.

The weather was good; sunny, 73 degrees, and a slight breeze.  Once again, it was a good crowd and the Phanatic kept everyone entertained.  Actually, other than complimentary bloody marys, good ballpark food, Yuengling beer on draft, and  lots of Philadelphia fan interaction - "how ya dooin!" , "ja eat yet?", etc., the Phanatic was the most entertaining part of the game.

Dinner in at the condo tonight.  No game tomorrow or Wednesday.  The plan is for some sightseeing tomorrow, but while on vacation, everything is subject to change.

Here are a few random pictures from the game today:

Day 14 Pictures

Florida Spring Training Trip - Day 13

We slept in again.  That plus the Daylight Saving Time adjustment made for a late start today. When breakfast was over, the clock said it was time for lunch.

I had to drive back to the hotel in Tampa to pick-up the battery charger for my camera that I left plugged into the wall when we checked out.  On the way back, I stopped at the store to get a few things and all of a sudden it was after 3:00 pm.  Traffic was heavy and a lot of people were outdoors enjoying the sunshine and warm weather

After a light lunch, Judy did laundry and while that was in progress, we went down to the Tiki Bar and had a Pina Coloda.  The weather was great today - mid 70s, sunny, and no wind so it was very enjoyable just relaxing by the pool.  We also went down to the Tiki Bar again to watch the sunset.  It was  gorgeous.

We had a late dinner at a Mexican restaurant in town that was still very busy after 8:00 pm..  Dunedin appears to be a very lively town in the evening, even with the large number of senior snowbirds here for the winter.  The college spring break migration is also about to really heat-up in the area, so everything may get even busier, although we will probably not be hanging out at the same places the college kids go, drinking jello shots with Bud Light chasers and dancing to loud music into the early hours.

Here are a few pictures of the resort and the beautiful Florida sunset:

Day 13 Pictures

Florida Spring Training Trip - Day 12

Today was a special day at the ballpark -  Phillies Alumni Day.  Over 40 ex-Phillies players, coaches, and managers were at the game to be honored and interact with the fans prior to the game.  There was an autograph table, Gary Matthews handed out programs to fans entering the park, Darren Daulton and Dave Cash checked out customers in the gift shop, Larry Anderson drove a courtesy cart in the parking lot and Dallas Green was signing a book he wrote.  All the alumni were introduced before the game started and it brought back a lot of memories for the old folks who remembered when they were still playing.

It was a good game for the Phillies today.  They finally got some hits and runs and beat the Houston Astros 11-3.  The weather was sunny and a little cool - 64 degrees and breezy.

Judy had her nails done and we did a little grocery shopping after the game.  We ate dinner in and watched part of an old movie - Crocodile Dundee.  Life in the fast lane!

No home game tomorrow so its sleep in and decide what to do after breakfast.

Day 12 Pictures

Florida Spring Training Trip - Day 11

We moved into the condo in Dunedin today.  It is a one-bedroom unit with a full kitchen.  It is right on the bay, but we don't have a water view from our balcony. There is a nice patio with two pools and a spa right on the water outside the building we are in, however.  The furniture in the condo is sort of tropical in design - hard to describe, but "Gilligan's Island" is close.).  It is not something we would ever have at home but O.K. for a resort setting. We are about a half mile north of town and 5 miles from the Phillies' stadium in Clearwater.

On the way over the causeway to Dunediin we stopped at a boat launch pull-out to take a a picture of a 24/7 bait, tackle, and Mexican food establishment.  Apparently, it is a concession that meets the needs of the local fisherman.  We decided not to try the shrimp tacos.

While waiting to check-in, we had lunch in downtown Dunedin.  It is a neat little town, home to the Toronto Blue Jays' spring training ball park,  There are a lot of Canadian snowbirds in town and many good restaurants and things to do. 

Judy is feeling a little better today, but is taking it easy and resting this evening.  

There is a game tomorrow with Houston and it is also Phillies alumni day.  About 40 ex-players will be at the game signing autographs and mingling with the fans before the game.

Here are a few pictures of the fishing shack. Pictures of the condo and Dunedin to follow in the next few days.

Day 11 Pictures

Florida Spring Training Trip - Day 10

As forecasted, it rained today.  When we woke up this morning it was overcast and raining. Judy woke up this morning not feeling very good - lots of congestion, coughing and a sore throat, so we found an urgent care center in Clearwater and went there to get her checked out. Sure enough, a real doctor at the center diagnosed a sinus infection and prescribed antibiotics. After getting the medication at CVS/Pharmacy, we decided to go to Lenny's again, this time for lunch.  As was our breakfast, the lunch was excellent, real Philadelphia food.

As the day progressed, the weather got worse. The rain was really coming down and the area was under a tornado warning.  We didn't consider the game today could be played under these conditions and were not planning to attend anyway since Judy was sick.  However, the weather began to clear after lunch as we were on the way back to the hotel.  After arriving, I called the park and discovered the game had only been delayed and was scheduled to start at 2:30 pm. Judy was feeling pretty good, so I decided to drive back to the park while Judy rested at the hotel.  I arrived there in the bottom of the 2nd inning and conditions were actually O.K. by then - 70 degrees and partly cloudy.  The Phillies were playing the Yankees and played pretty well (3 home runs) and had the lead until 2nd string pitchers blew the lead in the 7th and 8th innings and ending up losing 4-3.

We are moving from the hotel to the condo in Dunedin tomorrow.  We have had a good time here but are looking forward to the next phase of the adventure.

Day 10 Pictures

Florida Spring Training Trip - Day 9

The game today was against the Atlanta Braves, the Phillies' big rival in the National League's Eastern Division.  Since yesterday's game was a night game and most of the regular Phillies players played, almost all of them were given this day off.  Atlanta brought most of their regular players to the game so everyone expected Atlanta to win. Surprisingly, several non-roster pitchers trying to make the team held the Braves hitters to one run through 8 innings.  Alas, in the 9th inning the Braves tied the game on an error.  After the Phillies were unable to score in the bottom of the 9th inning, the game ended in a tie.  In spring training, extra innings are seldom played and games are usually called after 9 innings if tied, unless each team agrees to keep playing.

Before the game today there was a very nice tribute to Jim Fregosi, a former manager of the Phillies in 1992-93 who died last month.  He was also a long time scout and special assistant to the Atlanta Braves President. Since the Braves were playing here today, the Phillies organized a tribute to him.  His family, including children and grandchildren were in attendance along with many friends, former teammates and associates.  He spent over 50 years in professional baseball in many capacities including player, coach, manager, and scout.  He was a true 'lifer" in  baseball and will be missed.  The link below describes more about him and the ceremony today.

The weather today started out partly sunny, slightly humid, 79 degrees and a 30% chance of showers.  As the day progressed, it got more cloudy and the temperature dropped 10 degrees.  There is a front coming through tomorrow and it looks like a 70% chance of rain and thunderstorms.  The Yankees will be here tomorrow, so a big crowd is expected.  So, we'll see how the weather impacts the game.

Dinner tonight was at Hulk Hogan's again.  The food was good and the restaurant not too crowded tonight. 

Here are a few pictures from the game and the Fregosi tribute.

Day 9 Pictures

Jim Fregosi Tribute Article

Florida Spring Training Trip - Day 8

The Phillies played a night game today, so we didn't do anything special this morning except hang around the hotel.  I did some desk work and Judy relaxed and sat by the pool for a while. The weather was partly cloudy with a 20% chance of showers that never materialized.

We left for the game about 4:30 pm.  The traffic was heavy and after going to Dunedin to scout-out the best route from there to the ball park (after we move there on Friday), we arrived at the park about 5:30 pm.  We ate dinner there (BBQ rib sandwiches), had complementary Bloody Mary's and watched our first spring training night game (against the Toronto Blue Jays).  The weather was cool and breezy.  It was 64 degrees throughout the game but it was also a little humid and it felt colder than it actually was.

The Phillies played most of their starters for the first part of the game against one of the best Toronto pitchers.  They still don't look very impressive so far but had a lead into the middle innings when Phillies relief pitchers didn't do very well and gave up enough runs for the Blue Jays to win the game, 5-3.  They play the Atlanta Braves tomorrow afternoon.  The weather again calls for partly cloudy skies with a 30% chance of showers and a high of 76 degrees.

Here are a few pictures of the game and one of the Great Hot Dog Race - three guys in hot dog suits racing a young girl.  Guess who won?

Day 8 - Pictures

Florida Spring Training Trip - Day 7

No home game today, so we slept-in again, did the laundry and had lunch in the hotel.

It was another nice day so we decided to drive over to Dunedin after lunch and check out the resort where we will be staying after Friday.  We also went to the Dunedin Post Office to see if any mail had been forwarded to date.  No mail yet, but we are in the system for a temporary change-of-address.  They do not forward junk mail so that should significantly reduce the amount of mail we will receive while we are here.  The resort looked good and we are hopeful it works out O.K.

We then went into downtown Dunedin and had a drink at a waterfront hotel.  The hotel restaurant and bar, called the Bon Appetit, is in a nice indoor/outdoor setting right on the bay.  We each had a fancy drink (Judy - Pina Coloda, Pat - Mojioto) and listened to another Jimmy Buffett type guitar player with acoustical background music play old favorites for the mostly older patrons.

Since we had not eaten in a couple of hours, we decided to drive over to Clearwater Beach to watch the sunset and  have dinner at one of our favorite area restaurants, Frenchy's Rockaway Grill.  The crowd at Frenchy's is a little younger, but there is also a mix of families, old folks on vacation (like us), and a millennial/middle age beach party, after-the-ball game sort of crowd, drinking beer and having fun.  As always, the place was packed and we waited a little over a half-hour for a table. While waiting, we enjoyed another beautiful Florida sunset.   Frenchy's specialty is a fish called a Grouper, a local favorite similar to Mahi-Mahi that is prepared and featured in a number of different ways ( e.g., sandwiches, entrees, appetizers, etc.)  In fact, some places down here actually serve Mahi-Mahi instead of the more expensive Grouper to unsuspecting tourists who cannot tell the difference anyway.  Before ordering the Cajun grouper sandwich, I was assured I was getting the real thing.  Not that I would have been able to tell if it wasn't.  It was good, anyway.

Tomorrow's game is a night game (6:30 pm start time) against the Toronto Blue-Jays, so the blog tomorrow will probably be delayed.  Other than the game, nothing else is planned at the moment so it should be another relaxing day.

Day 7 Pictures

Florida Spring Training Trip - Day 6

Well, we made to Lenny's for breakfast today.  As expected, there was a long wait as mostly Phillies fans waited in line for seats. We had an excellent breakfast then arrived at the ballpark in plenty of time for the game.  The weather was just about perfect for baseball with sunny skies, high 70's and a light breeze.

I wish we could say the same for the Phillies today. There was no offense again although most of the regulars either didn't play or only did so for a few innings.  A lot of the upcoming minor league players for the Phillies did get a lot of playing time, although none of them really stood out against a Pittsburgh Pirates team that also didn't play most of their starters.  It was a typical early spring training game that wasn't very exciting.  From what we've seen so far, the team has along way to go before they are season-ready or very competitive.

After the game we stopped at Target and a grocery store for supplies.  Dinner was take-out Panda Express on the way back to the hotel.

No home game tomorrow so we are going to sleep-in, do some laundry and catch-up with some first-of-the month paperwork.  The game on Tuesday is a night game (a first for us here) and games on Wednesday and Thursday.  We'll also be moving into the condo in Dunedin on Friday.

Here are a few pictures from Lenny's and the ballpark today:

Day 6 Pictures

Florida Spring Training Trip - Day 5

No home game today - The Phillies played the Yankees in Tampa and lost again.  We decided to do something near Tampa while we are staying over here.  We wanted to do another swamp tour this trip and the closest swamp offering tours is about an hour and a half north of Tampa towards Gainsville.

After making a reservation for 2:00 pm, we drove up I-75 in heavy traffic to Exit 321 and the KOA on the lake where the air boat tour is based.  The surrounding area is what you might expect to see in sparsely populated north central Florida.  Near the KOA were several "RV Parks" with a mix of single-wide trailers, RVs, campers, and trailers in various states of permanent, seasonal, and transitory living/retirement arrangements,  There were Moose, VFW, and American Legion posts where we assume adult beverages may be served and, strangely enough, at least 5 beauty salons.  There was not much else in town except a beer, bait, and tackle store.  We had lunch at the combo Hardee's (Carl's junior)/Subway/Gas Station/Quick Stop near the freeway off/on ramp before our air boat ride.

The air boat ride was great - well worth the trip up here.  The boat held 12 people and we shared the ride with other out-of-town tourists.  The lake is 9 miles long, 2 miles wide and about 5-6 feet deep.  The banks are overgrown with vegetation, cypress tress and assorted  water plants and grasses.  An air boat is the only way to get around in the shallow water and in and out of the numerous inlets and channels. The boat captain was an old timer who had been driving air boats on the lake for 50 years. He said there are probably about a thousand alligators in the lake, lots of turtles and poisonous snakes, as well as lots of other assorted wildlife such as coyotes, fish, and deer.  We saw a lot of alligators, a few turtles, and one snake. 

The surprise however, was seeing a pack of wild pigs who live on the islands in the swamp. There were about 7 or 8 pigs in the group, part of a litter born about 2 years ago.  The boat captain has been feeding them regularly and when the boat stopped they came to the shore. The captain got off the boat and fed them kernels of dried corn he had brought with him in a can.  They were friendly towards him and he even was able to pet them while they ate the corn.  I guess you can still call them "wild", and I am not sure they would be that friendly towards strangers.  Last year the captain had brought back to the boat dock one of the litter with a broken leg and has paid the local veterinarian to nurse it back to health.  He said, "$1,600 later, the pig is in good shape."  It's injuries were too severe for it to be returned to the wild, so it lives in luxury in it's own pen by the boat dock.

It was long ride back to the hotel through heavy weekend traffic and road work.  We went to the Bahama Breeze Island Grille again for dinner again and early to bed tonight.  Baseball game tomorrow with the Phillies playing the Pittsburgh Pirates.  The weather was great today - sunny and 75 degrees.  Tomorrow should be a little warmer.

More pictures:

Day 5 Pictures

Florida Spring Training Trip - Day 4

We slept in again today and didn't make it to breakfast at Lenny's before the game.  We did arrive at the game in plenty of time however.

The skies were clear but it was cool and a little breezy.  It's hard to believe the low 60's with a little wind is cool, but we were actually a little cold sitting in the shade.  It seemed 20 degrees warmer in the sun so we got up a few times and watched the game from one of the many sunny areas.

The Phillies won this game, so most of the fans went away happy.  There were a lot of Detroit Tiger fans at the game who also seemed happy just to be out of Michigan (the scoreboard said the game-time temperature in Detroit was 14 degrees).

After the game we went to another beachfront restaurant near our hotel called Hogan's Beach, named after the famous wrestler, Hulk Hogan.  There was a lot of Hulk Hogan memorabilia throughout and he apparently lives, or at least has a house, in the area.  The food was good and another big crowd was present . All three of the nearby beachfront restaurants we have visited have been very busy. With the large number of hotels in this area and the tourist season beginning, there is a good market for beach-side dining.

There is no home game tomorrow, so we will sleep-in again and plan the day after breakfast, maybe at Lenny's.

Here are a few more pictures from today, including some of our hotel:

Day - 4 Pictures

Florida Spring Training Trip - Day 3

Today was a R & R day.  We slept in to 9:00 am and laid around until noon not doing much of anything.  We then went over to McDill AFB (about a 30 minute drive through Tampa) to get a few things at the BX and Commissary. 

Dinner was at another beach front restaurant (Bahama Breeze Island Grille) not far away from the hotel.  We had a great dinner and listened to a couple of pretty good Bob Marley/Jimmy Buffet type musicians.  The weather today was cool (65 degrees) with a few showers, but certainly tolerable.  It is supposed to clear up tomorrow with warmer weather at least into early next week when the big California storm moving east may impact local weather somewhat.

It is back to baseball tomorrow - Phillies v. Detroit Tigers in Clearwater,  We are also planning on breakfast at Lenny's, a Philadelphia style restaurant near the park catering to Phillies fans. The menu is typical Philadelphia - huge portions, scrapple, Taylor Pork Roll, and many other kinds of breakfast sausage, sweet rolls, etc.

Day 3 Pictures

Florida Spring Training Trip - Day 2

After breakfast at the hotel we drove to Bright House Field for the first game of the spring training season.  Our seats are in the Club Level of the stadium along the first base line and one section up from the field-level seats; a restricted admission section with it's own concession stand and bathrooms.  It is on the same level as the suites that are either rented out for each game or by the season by corporate sponsors. The seats are a little bit bigger than the ones below and are padded.  Another nice touch is complementary free drinks such as Bloody Mary, champagne, mimosas, etc. before each game. 

The game with the Toronto Blue Jays started at 1:00 pm under cloudy skies and a forecast of rain.  Sure enough, the rain started after 3:00 pm and the game was called in the 7th inning. The team mascot, the Phillie Phanatic, was at the game and will be at all the home games this year.  He is still one of the best team mascots and is in mid-season form already. 

After returning to the hotel, we had dinner at a beachfront restaurant across the street along the causeway called Whisky Joe's.  No game tomorrow - they are playing away against the Blue Jays in Dunedin.  We're not sure what we are going to do except sleep-in, then start from there.

Here is the link to a few pictures from today:

Day 2 Pictures

Florida Spring Training Trip - Day 1

We got up at 3:00 am, got ready and caught the hotel shuttle at 4:30 for our 6:30 flight from SFO to Tampa.  Everything went well - we checked our baggage, cleared security, and even had time for an overpriced airport breakfast before boarding.  The flight was direct to Atlanta (4 1/2 hrs) and then on a different flight to Tampa (1 1/2 hrs). 

We arrived in Tampa about 4:00 pm local and went to the car rental place (Enterprise).  We had reserved a compact car and when we got there they said the only compact they had left was a canary yellow Fiat with 13 inch wheels and little room inside.  I said we didn't want that one and would wait until others "came in from the wash rack".  They tried to talk me into an upgrade for another $10 a day and I said no. After waiting for about 10 minutes, they finally said they would upgrade us to a full size sedan for no additional cost.  So, we ended up with a new Chrysler 200 sedan.  It all worked out and we will not have to drive around while we are here with my knees touching my chin.

We are staying at the Double Tree Inn by Hilton on Tampa Bay. We have a nice suite with a bay view.  The hotel is only about 10 minutes from the airport and a 15 minute drive across the causeway to Clearwater where the Phillies play their spring training home games.  After arriving at the hotel, we unpacked, had some wine, and ordered a room service pizza for dinner.  It actually wasn't too bad or outrageously expensive for hotel room service food.  We'll be staying here for 10 days then moving to a condo in Dunedin (just north of Clearwater) for the last three weeks of our trip.

The first Phillies game is tomorrow at 1:00 pm.  We try and post some pictures and some of the hotel.

Florida Spring Training Trip - Day 0

Another adventure begins - this time without the RV.  Judy's monthly medical treatments limit how long we can be on the road, so we decided to fly to Florida this year to watch Philadelphia Phillies Spring Training Baseball and do other vacation things.  The team played so poorly last year, we were able to get season spring training season tickets (in the shade no less), so we decided to get an early baseball fix in a great location in Clearwater.

The "getting ready" day was a busy one.  I had a Rotary meeting at noon and then we drove to Rocklin to have a nice birthday lunch/dinner with Karin and her kids.   After a late lunch, we got on the road about 4:00 pm and headed for San Francisco to the El Rancho Inn where we planned to spend the night before catching an early shuttle to the airport the next morning.  The traffic on the way down to SF, as expected, was horrible.  We finally arrived at the El Rancho about 7:00 pm and almost immediately went to bed.  The attraction of the El Rancho is that is about a 10 minute drive to the airport, you can park your car there while you are gone and their shuttle runs 24/7 to and from the airport.  No pictures today but we'll post some as soon as we can.